Alexander story



A. STORY. GAR COUPLING.

(No Model.)

N9. 259,435. Patented June 13,1882.

(A [III Attorney WITNESSES NITED STATES ATENT FFICE.

ALEXANDER STORY, OF WASHINGTON, IOWA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 259,435, dated June 13, 1882.

Application filed April 10, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER STORY, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vashington, in the county of Washington and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Oar Couplings; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention is an improvement in carcoupling, so that cars coming together couple automatically, but can be so adjusted that they will not so couple. It is simple, plain, durable, and reliable at all times, and can be operated from the top of the car and from either side of it, so that the brakeman can uncouple cars at any time, and fix it so as to prevent coupling, if he so desires.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a longitudinal vertical section of my improved coupler. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of the same. Fig. 3 is an end view of part of a car with my bumper attached. Fig. 4. is a perspective view of the link detached.

A represents a draw-head of ordinary construction, with a flaring month. In the top of the draw-head is a rectangular mortise, into which the gravity-latch B is loosely fitted. The latch B has a projecting flange upon its sides and rear end, which overlaps and lies upon the top of the draw-head, serving to cover the joint around the mortise and to hold the latch in place. The front of the mortise is undercut, forming a recess, i, and the front part of the latch has a lip,'b, which fits into said recess. The front of the latch has an upturned edge, which forms a bar having extensions b projecting beyond the sides of the latch, and to the rear of these extensions, on the draw-head, are lugs c, which abut against the extensions and prevent thelatch from being driven back and displaced when acted on by the incoming link. The latch is beveled from front to rear, so that when the beveled head of the link enters the latch Erises until the head of the link passes back of the latch, when it falls to place and prevents the withdrawal of the link. I

The link 0 is made with beveled heads 0 in the form shown in full lines, Fig. 4; or it may be in the form shown in dotted lines, same figure. The link may have pin-holes, as shown, to couple with an ordinary pin; or it may be entirely open back of the beveled heads, like a common link.

A rod, d, hooked into the eye h of the latch extends to the top of the car for lifting and.

fastening the latch. The rod has upon one side a step, In, which abuts against a pin, 1, in the end of the car and prevents the latch from rising. The keeper 9 holds the rod in place, but allows a little play, so that when desired to lift the latch the rod is moved to one side, which disengages the step from the pin 1 and allows the latch to he lifted. The rod may be shifted to the other side of pin Z, so as to throw the step out of engagement with the pin, and thus allow the rod to slide up and down freely. A cross-rod, a, is secured upon the rod 61 and extends to either side of the car. The rod a rests in the keepers f, and when lifted from either side the opposite keeper acts as a fulcrum, and the latch may be thus lifted from either side of the car, as well as from the top.

In the detached view a rod, 62', is shown with a bend in it to fit the square block at the end of the car, it being a modification of rod d, and, operating like it, needs no further description.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The draw-head having arectangular mortise in its top, with an undercut recess, i, and lugs c, in combination with the latch B, having projecting flanges upon its sides and rear, lip 11, and side extensions, 12, substantially as described.

2. The lifting-rod d, step 10, and cro'ss-rod a, in combination with the keepers g j, pin 1, and latch B, substantially as described.

In testimony. whereof I hereto aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER STORY.

- Witnesses:

Gno. E. STORY, ALLEN H. HIcKoK. 

